This is usually how the conversation with myself goes as I'm driving home:

"Uggh...I don't know what to make for dinner. I can't remember what's in the fridge....Was there a plan for tonight? No, probably not. Sooo, what can I make that's easy, fast and that Hannah will probably eat?....Noodles, yes, she'll probably eat noodles....With what? Ummm, sauce? And we need some sort of veggie. She likes broccoli. I think there's some in the fridge. Ok, broccoli, noodles and sauce....Protein? I'll figure that out when I get home."

So that's basically how I arrived at cheese noodles with roasted broccoli and sliced porchetta (deli meat ham). This meal came together so quickly - a win in my book! While the pasta was cooking I made the sauce and roasted the broccoli and everything was ready at roughly the same time. Making your own cheese sauce is super easy, and then you know exactly whats in it (rather than using something like Cheese Whiz). I looove roasted veggies - I think it's the texture variation that roasting gives; some tender parts, some crispy parts. Anyhow, I'd take roasted broccoli over steamed broccoli almost any day, so that's why I decided to roast it this time. I had some porchetta from the Italian Centre in the fridge and I figured that broccoli, ham and cheese was a good combo, so I sliced it up and added it on top.

Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 cups milk (I used whole milk)

1 cup grated cheese

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and spices and stir to combine. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking until no lumps remain. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Serve immediately. Leftover cheese sauce freezes nicely in a Ziploc bag.

Roasted Broccoli

1 head broccoli, cut into large florettes

drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tbsp)

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss broccoli with olive oil and lemon juice either in a large bowl, or directly on a baking sheet (like I do). Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges start to get brown and crispy.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! What better way to celebrate than a round of tacos and margaritas for dinner - yum! Really, I would use any excuse to eat tacos - they're one of my favourite foods.

This is a super easy meal. You could even prepare the pork the night before, then just get it going in the morning before you head out for the day. If your pork loin is bigger than you need, no worries - the cooked meat freezes beautifully!

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

Sorry, there aren't any specific measurements for this one - just mix the spices together according to your taste and what you have on hand.

pork loin

cumin

chili powder

garlic powder

salt

fresh ground pepper

Mix together the spices in a small bowl. Cut the pork loin into 4 pieces, then rub the spices all over the meat. Place into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Use two forks to shred the pork. At this point you can package some up for the freezer.

When you're ready to make tacos heat up 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Put the pork into the heated pan. Let it cook on one side for a few minutes before flipping it over so that it gets little crispy, browned bits on it.

Serve on warmed corn or flour tortillas. Top however you like! (I like a bit of pico de gallo and a drizzle of Valentina)

This salad is sooo easy and sooo delicious - I'm going to be making it all summer long! The flavours are crisp and bright. The dressing is the perfect blend of spicy, sweet, savoury and salty. This one definitely brings back strong memories of Thailand - the combo of toasted peanuts, mint and fish sauce I think. Anyhow - this is definitely one to add to your meal plan, you won't regret it!

Thai Chicken Salad

1 bag of broccoli slaw (about 3 cups)

1 cup cucumber, sliced into matchsticks

2 cups baby bok choy, chopped

1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup toasted peanuts

2-3 chicken breasts

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp fish sauce

juice from 2 limes

1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Start by cooking the chicken breasts however you like (pan fried, grilled, roasted, etc.). While the chicken is cooking prep the salad. Add the broccoli slaw, cucumber, baby bok choy, chili pepper, mint and toasted peanuts in a large bowl and toss together. Add all of the remain salad dressing ingredients together into a small jar or container with a lid. Give it a shake to mix it up, then pour over the salad and toss to combine. Once the chicken is cooked allow it to rest for a minute or two, then slice it against the grain. Serve the chicken on top of the salad and voilà! Dinner is ready!

Did you see my last post about Catelli's new ancient grains pasta? I was given a few boxes to take home with me, so I tried some out as soon as I could. Yep, still delicious.

I decided to make a chicken and mushroom spaghetti inspired by a dish my mom used to cook when I was a kid. She used to use cream of mushroom soup with either chicken or pork chops and serve it with noodles or rice. Straight up comfort food for me :)

Keep scrolling down past the recipe to find a Catelli pasta giveaway!

Chicken Mushroom Spaghetti

1/2 box Catelli Ancient Grains Spaghetti

2-3 chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1-2 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped

2-3 cups white mushrooms, chopped

1 large shallot, minced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh or dried thyme

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 - 3/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese

salt & pepper, to taste

Put on a large pot of generously salted water. While it's coming up to a boil, start preparing the chicken and mushrooms.

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper. Sear the chicken breasts for 5 minutes each side, so they get a good golden colour. After the chicken is seared remove it from the pan. Don't worry if they're not cooked all the way through yet - they go back in the pan later.

Get the pasta cooking, then start on the mushrooms. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme. Saute for a few minutes, then deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened. Add in the cream cheese and stir until it melts into the mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Put the chicken breasts back in the pan, cover and turn the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta - reserving a bit of the cooking water in case the sauce is too thick. Toss the spaghetti with the mushroom sauce immediately, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.

This recipe is Hannah approved

Win a year's supply of Catelli pasta!

Here's what you need to do: Post a comment on this post telling me what your favourite pasta dish is, then enter the contest through Rafflecopter. The contest closes on April 11, 2015.

Post update (April 12): The contest is now closed. Thank so much to all who participated, I loved reading through your favourite pasta dishes! The winner was Sandra M. - I hope you enjoy lots and lots of delicious pasta Sandra!

Last week I was lucky enough to attend a cooking event hosted by Catelli & Chef Lynn Crawford. The event was to introduce Catelli's new line: Healthy Harvest Ancient Grains. The pasta contains 100% Canadian whole wheat, quinoa, amaranth, teff, sorghum and millet. Have you tried all of these grains before? I hadn't!

Chef Crawford told us that she was excited to pair up with Catelli because it's what she uses at home and in her Toronto restaurant, Ruby Watchco. I'd loooove to visit her restaurant sometime.

Chef Crawford was great! She was hilariously funny, easy going and totally approachable. Hanging out with her for the evening was like stepping into an episode of 'Pitchin' In'. She brought a few of the participants up the front to help her cook and plate. She had my friend Megan (check out her blog here) make pesto in the amount of time it took to cook the pasta al dente and there was an impromptu 'Chopped Canada' plating challenge for a fellow blogger.

Shaking the salad dressing to the tune of taylor swift (complete with dance moves)

Chef Crawford prepared pasta for us in several ways. First we enjoyed a duo of rotini with marinara sauce and spaghetti with basil pesto. Sooo good! I finished every last bite, which shows that healthy eating doesn't have to be boring - Catelli's Ancient Grains pasta tastes great and delivers a ton of nutritional benefits. In fact, I liked the taste and texture better than regular whole wheat pasta. This Ancient Grains pasta will be my new go-to choice for delicious and healthy dinners (or lunches... or any other time I need some pasta!)

After Chef Crawford's cooking demo we moved into smaller groups to try our hands at preparing 'Chilled Noodle Salad with Ginger Wasabi Dressing' using Ancient Grains Spaghettini. It had a ton of fresh, crunchy vegetables and the noodles held up really well to the zippy dressing. I'll definitely be making this one again - in fact I'm already imagining enjoying this tasty salad by the bowlful for summer evening dinners on the patio.

Chilled Noodle Salad with Ginger Wasabi Dressing

1 pkg Catelli Ancient Grains Spaghettini

2 cups snowpeas, blanced in hot water, then thinly sliced on a diagonal

1 cup shelled edamame beans

1 cup red pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 small long english cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced

2 cups napa cabbage, finely shredded

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

wasabi to taste

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Toss with a few tbsp of canola oil and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, prepare all the vegetables. Add the rice vinegar, canola oil, soy sauce, lemon zest & juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger and wasabi into a jar with a lid (or something similar). Shake everything together until mixed well. (According to Chef Crawford shaking is better than mixing, especially if you're dancing at the same time). Toss the salad dressing with all of the prepared vegetables. Put into a large serving bowl and top with avocado slices, cilantro leaves and black sesame seeds.

The event was held at Get Cooking. Their kitchen is beautiful! All of the staff were so friendly and helpful. Get Cooking prepared several appetizers for us and everything was super tasty. I loved the chickpea pancake with kale on top and the beet macaron with hummus filling. This was the first time I had heard of Get Cooking, but I'd love to go back and take one of their cooking classes some time.

Messy Little Cook

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Hi, I'm Courtenay. I truly am the 'Messy Little Cook' - there's sure to be a mountain of dirty dishes and flour all over the place whenever I'm playing in the kitchen. I also love writing about restaurants, other foodie stuff and travel (when I get the chance).

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Two little ballerinas 💕 #mayowskifamily

Walking my big girl to the school bus ☀️#beautifulfallmorning #mayowskifamily

Camping in Banff for the long weekend 💕 We played, paddleboarded, hiked to the tea house, ate ice cream, roasted marshmallows and had a great time together as a family. #mayowskifamilycamping #campingwithkids #banffnationalpark #getoutside #mayowskifamily
In that last video of Hannah, the first time (off camera) she told me she loved s'mores more than me 🥺 she's working on being funny - and it actually is pretty funny

Huge THANKS to @bagelbar.yeg and @derosebrosmeats for the bagels, cream cheese, sandwiches and tots!! I won their giveaway earlier this summer and picked it up today to share with my team at work 🤤🤤🤤 everything was thoroughly enjoyed 👍

Happy Grade 1 Hannah! #firstdayofschool #yegkids #mayowskifamily

The last camping adventure of the year has begun. Tonight we're hanging out under the romantic lights of...the Bass Pro shop parking lot and listening to the soothing sounds of QE2 traffic 🙃 #parkinglotcamping #mayowskifamily

Today is our 10th anniversary ♥️ So I'm sharing 10 of my memories from our wedding day. A walk down memory lane, August 21, 2009
1) So unbelievably happy to married to this guy 😍
2) Getting ready with our moms, my sister and future sister-in-law. It felt like the greatest game of dress-up ever. I loved my wedding dress and veil
3) Walking down the aisle with my parents. I wish I could go back in time to slow this moment down. I could feel their love, support and pride
4) Seeing Trevor waiting for me at the end of the aisle. My heart was filled with butterflies, but I couldn't wait to be there with him
5) Crying while saying my vows. I knew I would cry - I'm surprised I actually got through it
6) You may kiss the bride! I made Trev practice "the kiss" before the wedding 😘
7) So greatful for our family and friends who celebrated with us
8) We slipped into the Winspear auditorium for a few photos before the reception. It felt glamorous and special to stand on the stage under the lights. While Kelsy was taking our photos the man tuning the organ was also snapping our pic
9) I surprised Trevor with an extra wedding cake (chocolate mint flavor) to apologize for my bridezilla moment when I told him that was not an acceptable wedding cake flavor 😂 everyone loved the chocolate mint cake
10) Hanging out in downtown Edmonton taking pictures with my favorite people. Everyone else was good at the sexy/serious face...me, not so much, haha. I just couldn't hide my huge smile.
Happy anniversary Trevor, I love you forever ♥️ 📸@kelsynielson @edmontonfamilyphotographer
#tenthanniversary #weddingmemories #yegweddings #husbandandwife #10yearslater #mayowskifamily

Trev made an excellent dinner of mussels in wine with homemade mayo and oven fries. The kids devoured everything. My feeding-therapist heart was glowing with pride as the kids gobbled down the mussels and asked for more (even though this kind of thing doesn't happen all the time) #adventurouseaters #dadmadedinner #foodiekids

We're really good at family pictures 🤦#mayowskifamily

Checking out the playground Trev used to play on when he was a kid, feeding Rose the Squirrel (as named by the kids) and one last popsicle before the long drive home #mayowskifamily

More beach and s'mores please! #campingincanada #mayowskifamily

Nate was so excited to take me for a ride on the board, he was shouting take my picture, it's my first paddle!
Once the kiddos were asleep Trev and I got to enjoy a sunset walk along the lake
#mayowskifamily

Family camping trip to Kimball Lake. The mornings were cool, but the afternoons were warm enough to enjoy the beautiful beach. My nature kids loved it #mayowskifamily